"Okay, I'll prepare right away." Three days is enough time for Li Youlan to calm down and go to the palace to see the Empress Dowager and the favored concubines. She can easily play the role of a gentle, virtuous, and understanding woman, and she can definitely handle those old women in the harem.
"Hmm." Dongfang Zhan liked to work with smart people. With just a word, they would know what he should do. Li Youlan could help him, so he agreed to marry her as his principal wife. Of course, they were only husband and wife in name only. His true principal wife was another woman.
On a bright and sunny afternoon, Shen Lixue received the Empress Dowager's summons and rode in a sedan chair to Yongning Palace. Just as she reached the corner, the Empress Dowager's personal maidservant walked over leisurely: "Princess Consort, the Empress Dowager is taking a nap and has instructed me to invite you to rest at Ganquan Palace first. She will summon you again when she wakes up."
Shen Lixue knew that the Empress Dowager had a habit of taking a midday nap, and that she would sleep until at least 3:45 PM. It was only 1:45 AM now, so she was early: "Thank you for your trouble, Granny."
"You're too kind, Princess Consort. This way, please." Led by the nanny, the sedan chair changed direction and headed towards Ganquan Palace.
Ganquan Palace is closest to the Empress Dowager's Yongning Palace. The main building faces the sun and is decorated in a noble and gorgeous but not extravagant style, which is the kind of arrangement that Shen Lixue likes. After seeing off the nanny, she was preparing to rest when Yan Yue, who was guarding outside, reported: "Princess Consort, Consort Li requests an audience."
Shen Lixue smiled. She had just arrived at Ganquan Palace when Consort Li followed closely behind. Her information network was truly impressive. "Please invite her in."
Just as Yan Yue received her orders and left, Consort Li's gentle yet charming voice rang out: "Li Xue!" Consort Li was only a few years older than Shen Li Xue, but as the emperor's concubine, she was equivalent to Shen Li Xue's elder, so it was not wrong for her to call Shen Li Xue by her name.
Shen Lixue stood in the center of the room, a gentle smile blooming on her bright face. With a dignified and elegant posture, she bowed to the smiling Consort Li: "Lixue greets Consort Li."
"No need for formalities, please rise." Consort Li gently helped Chen Lixue up, her gaze falling on Chen's slightly protruding belly. Her gentle smile faltered for a moment before returning to normal: "Are you and your child well?"
"Thanks to Your Majesty's good fortune, Li Xue and the baby are both doing well." Shen Li Xue gently stroked her lower abdomen with her fair hand, her eyes sparkling with the joy of becoming a mother, which deeply stung Consort Li's eyes.
If her child were still alive, it would be more than two months old now. She could be like Shen Lixue, gently stroking her belly every day and proudly announcing to everyone that she was going to be a mother.
The person who put musk in the incense and caused her miscarriage was Ye Qianmei, but her original intention was to harm Shen Lixue's unborn child. Her own child became a scapegoat, and Shen Lixue was also indirectly the murderer who killed her child.
If her own child died, why should Shen Lixue's child live?
Consort Li was furious, but she didn't show it. Looking at Shen Lixue, she smiled and said, "At the palace banquet, I asked for the purple jade beads that you used to protect your pregnancy. I've been thinking about giving you a gift of equal value. A few days ago, I got a string of sandalwood beads from Xiangguo Temple."
As she spoke, she took the sandalwood necklace from the palace maid behind her and handed it to Shen Lixue: "This has been blessed by a high monk to ward off evil spirits. See if you like it?"
The purplish-black sandalwood beads are finely polished, each one is uniform and full, and they are carved with Buddha images. At first glance, they look very noble and must be quite valuable.
"Thank you for your kindness, Consort Li." Shen Lixue smiled and thanked her, then took the sandalwood necklace and handed it to Yan Yue behind her. Whether Consort Li's intentions were sincere or not, it was just a string of sandalwood beads, and she could accept it without any problem.
"I'm glad Li Xue likes it." Seeing that Shen Li Xue didn't intend to wear the sandalwood necklace, Consort Li smiled and said, "Pregnant women are weak and unclean things can take advantage of them. Sandalwood necklaces need to be worn to ward off evil spirits."
"Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness!" Shen Lixue smiled slightly, took the sandalwood necklace, and gently put it around her neck. Her keen nose carefully smelled the sandalwood necklace, which was fragrant and had no unusual scent.
The warm sunlight shone on the sandalwood necklace beads, refracting them into dappled patterns. Her expression changed slightly, but then returned to normal as she carefully put on the necklace beads.
The purplish-black sandalwood necklace dangled in front of Shen Lixue's pink dress, making her look even more noble and dignified. The smile in Consort Li's beautiful eyes deepened. Shen Lixue was always smart and extremely guarded. Although she did not see what Shen Lixue did, she knew that Shen Lixue dared to wear the sandalwood necklace because she must have confirmed that the sandalwood necklace was safe.
Pregnant women are very sensitive to everything around them, especially someone like Shen Lixue who knows medicine. She is most sensitive to drugs that can easily cause miscarriage, such as musk and safflower. Putting medicine or poison in the sandalwood necklace would not work. She put something else hidden there, something that could kill someone without consequence.
Of course, this string of sandalwood beads was just a small test. Shen Lixue did not notice anything amiss. It was hard to tell whether she was not vigilant enough or if her method was too clever.
Things would be much easier if she didn't realize her own trickery.
Consort Li, feeling smug, did not notice the slight frown on Shen Lixue's brow when she smelled the sandalwood necklace, nor did she realize that the sandalwood necklace was always worn outside her clothes and never touched her skin.
Consort Li looked up at Shen Lixue's beautiful face, her gaze slightly lowered, and she said with a smile, "Lixue doesn't look too well. Didn't you get enough rest?"
Shen Lixue touched her cheek. Her fingers were white and slender, like jade, but her face was a little yellow, not as delicate as her fingers. "I'm still suffering from morning sickness. I can't eat much every day, so my complexion isn't very good."
"I see." Consort Li sighed softly, looking at Shen Lixue with sympathy: "If a woman's complexion is not good, it will affect her appearance, and her husband will easily change his mind. Especially now that you are pregnant, Prince An will have even more reason to take concubines, elevate mistresses, and have maids."
"Your Majesty need not worry. Prince An promised me that he would never marry a concubine, mistress, or maid. I believe he will not go back on his word," Shen Lixue said casually to Consort Li.
Consort Li is her enemy and would never care about her. These words are definitely malicious; is she trying to ruin her relationship with Dongfang Heng? A few words like that can't possibly have any effect.
"A man's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea; we women can't fathom it. To truly capture their hearts, besides having children, one must also possess unparalleled beauty." As she spoke, Consort Li handed over an exquisite little box. The celadon flower pattern on the box was exceptionally beautiful, and one could tell at a glance that it contained something extraordinary.
"What is this?" Shen Lixue looked at Consort Li in confusion.
"This is a top-quality perfume balm from Jiangnan, delicate and soft, perfect for pregnant women. I use one box, and this one will be given to Li Xue." Consort Li smiled slightly, opening the small box. The delicate perfume balm was like a handful of snowflakes. When applied to the face, it was absolutely soft and delicate, astonishing. The light fragrance was elegant and charming, a scent that Shen Li Xue liked.
"Thank you, Consort Li." Shen Lixue smiled brightly. She couldn't refuse the perfume that Consort Li had personally sent, nor would she.
The perfume she used was specially made for her skin by the most famous rouge shop in the capital. It was very soft and fine, but it was still inferior to this box.
"No need to be polite. You and I were pregnant around the same time, so we are destined to be together. My child is gone, and I hope your child will be born safely." Seeing the burning desire in Shen Lixue's eyes, Consort Li sneered inwardly. She knew that no woman could resist the finest perfume. No matter how ethereal Shen Lixue was, she was still a mortal, and her love of beauty was not immune to worldly desires.
A soft knock sounded on the door, and Qiuhe's voice came slowly: "Princess Consort, the maid from Yongning Palace has come to report that the Empress Dowager summons you."
"Li Xue is here to see the Empress Dowager, so I won't disturb you any longer. Farewell." Consort Li smiled and stood up, taking the hand of a palace maid, and gracefully walked out of Ganquan Palace.
"Princess Consort, I always feel that Consort Li has ill intentions." Watching Consort Li's departing figure, Yan Yue, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up. Consort Li kept smiling, but her smile was cold and stiff, making people feel very uncomfortable.
Shen Lixue smiled and took off the sandalwood necklace from her neck, tossing it to Yan Yue: "Consort Li's visit this time is obviously not for good intentions."
Yan Yue frowned as she looked at the sandalwood necklace in her hand: "Does the Princess Consort mean there's something wrong with this sandalwood necklace?"
Shen Lixue glanced at the sandalwood necklace, a dark glint in her eyes: "The sandalwood necklace is infused with mercury. If worn for a long time, the mercury will seep into the body through the skin, damaging the internal organs and causing death."
Doctors have a keen sense of smell and can identify poisons by their scent. Shen Lixue can also easily distinguish some common herbs, but mercury is not considered a poison and cannot be detected by smell alone. It was only when the sunlight shone from where she was sitting that she noticed something was wrong with Xiang Zhu.
"What?" Yan Yue exclaimed in shock, throwing the sandalwood necklace onto the table and gritting her teeth: "Consort Li is so vicious, trying to kill the Princess Consort in this way."
“The Princess Consort is always careful and would never wear jewelry given by others. Look at this sandalwood necklace, it’s so dark and not very pretty. It doesn’t match the Princess Consort’s clothes at all!” Qiuhe walked to the table, picked up a handkerchief, and wrapped the sandalwood necklace. It was given to the Princess Consort by Consort Li. The Princess Consort could not wear it, nor could she leave it here. Otherwise, Consort Li would definitely become suspicious.
“Consort Li also thought of this and sent me another gift with added ingredients.” Shen Lixue’s cool gaze fell on the exquisite little box.
Qiu He and Yan Yue were taken aback at first, then exclaimed in unison in surprise, "There's a problem with the perfume too?" Women love beauty, and this perfume was of extremely fine quality. Both of them, who were in good health, couldn't help but want to apply it. Shen Lixue, who was pregnant and had a slightly pale complexion, wanted to try it even more.
Shen Lixue took a closer sniff of the perfume, a cold glint flashing in her clear eyes: "If I'm not mistaken, there are pomegranate seeds in the perfume."
"Princess Consort, what are the uses of pomegranate seeds?" Qiu He and Yan Yue were not knowledgeable about medicine and did not know the wonderful uses of combining pomegranate seeds with perfume.